Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

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seuss79
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Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby seuss79 » Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:33 pm

For those that hunt this style of ground, I have some questions.
This is relatively flat ground. Here's an aerial for example.

When accessing the area, would you walk the CRP edges or stay in the woods. Grasses are for the most part shoulder high. I'm guessing stay in the woods. The fields they can see you.

Are deer more likely to enter field or go into woods after getting up from beds?

That leads me to wondering where I should be observing in observation stands. I originally thought to set up on edge of woods observing a large area of CRP fields. Maybe I'm just not in the right spot but not seeing anything yet. Should I be setting up watching inside the woods.

In my picture, up is north, where would you place observation stands, access them (assuming you can park anywhere around the property) and what are you looking at. (I'd assume the fields and edges).
Screenshot_20191014-061424.png
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby seuss79 » Tue Oct 15, 2019 12:40 am

With a west wind, this is what I'm thinking
Yellow: observation stands,
Red: angle of view
Blue: path to stand
2037745504.png


Is this right? If not correct me please.
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby seuss79 » Wed Oct 16, 2019 10:45 pm

Anyone? Looking for a little confidence booster before Friday. Still trying to learn the ways.
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby Rich M » Thu Oct 17, 2019 12:25 am

What I'd do is go in and start walking the transition zone/edges with a stand on my back. Hit an area with good sign (watch the 2018 and 2019 public land challenge videos) and hunt/observe from there.

The clumps of bushes/trees off the big point straight down from your shortest blue line might be the primary bedding.
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby Huntress13 » Thu Oct 17, 2019 4:44 am

If the grasses are shoulder high, you can go slow and try to stay low so they don't see you. Then set up where there is sign, as Rich mentions.
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby Dave.Bechtel » Thu Oct 17, 2019 4:45 am

If the grass is shoulder height, I would creep through it. Stay low and out of sight!
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby botemple » Thu Oct 17, 2019 5:08 am

If the grass is that tall, you won't be able to see much with an observation sit. I would walk the transition of the trees to the CRP and find sign. There is something about the fence row of trees in the middle that I like.
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby greenhorndave » Thu Oct 17, 2019 6:35 am

Speaking as someone without a lot of experience, but who had an experience with this two weeks ago, I would say to stay hidden in the woods if possible as you check these transitions. Be on the lookout for any points with bushes on the tip. They often don't show up on an aerial. Expect bedding. One particular buck was bedded in something like this on the eastern edge of a large CRP field on a west wind, bedded bush to back with wind coming over his back. This was in 7-foot tall prairie grass. I came through the CRP edge because the hedgerow was so thick. Not optimal.

And like someone said mentioned, an observation sit with grass that tall is almost fruitless. And forget about spotting them before they spot you. A deer that's maybe 3 feet tall when laying down just ain't visible in 7-foot grass.

If nothing else, if you bump one, make note of the bed location and the how and why of it. And don't forget about trying a bump and dump if he doesn't see or wind you. I thought about it, my gut told me to do it, but my mind overruled it. Guess what? He came back. ;)
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby treeroot » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:55 am

The 60 acre golden rod/ brush field I hunt is semi similar. I'm no expert but here's what I've learned to do.
20191012_160531.jpg
this is one small part of it. Sorry for the bad pictures they are through my binoculars.

Sometimes the bucks bed out by clumps, trees, brush, or slight mounds. But most of the time I've seen them within 60 yards of the treeline edge bedded with the wind blowing from the tree edge into the golden rod. Makes it very hard to sneak along the edge.
I get as high as possible with the wind in my favor and watch an evening or two to figure out their exit trails or a food source out in it they're hitting in daylight. Make a plan from there. They are very hard to see which is why I try to get as elevated as possible. I've gotten better at seeing horizontal lines moving through 6' tall golden rod.
20191012_165010.jpg
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby seuss79 » Thu Oct 17, 2019 10:59 pm

Rich M wrote:What I'd do is go in and start walking the transition zone/edges with a stand on my back. Hit an area with good sign (watch the 2018 and 2019 public land challenge videos) and hunt/observe from there.

The clumps of bushes/trees off the big point straight down from your shortest blue line might be the primary bedding.


I've kind of taken this approach already. Haven't found lots of fresh sign(buck sign anyway). It's new property to me and a new style of hunting so lots of learning.
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby seuss79 » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:04 pm

greenhorndave wrote:Speaking as someone without a lot of experience, but who had an experience with this two weeks ago, I would say to stay hidden in the woods if possible as you check these transitions. Be on the lookout for any points with bushes on the tip. They often don't show up on an aerial. Expect bedding. One particular buck was bedded in something like this on the eastern edge of a large CRP field on a west wind, bedded bush to back with wind coming over his back.This was in 7-foot tall prairie grass. I came through the CRP edge because the hedgerow was so thick. Not optimal.

And like someone said mentioned, an observation sit with grass that tall is almost fruitless. And forget about spotting them before they spot you. A deer that's maybe 3 feet tall when laying down just ain't visible in 7-foot grass.

If nothing else, if you bump one, make note of the bed location and the how and why of it. And don't forget about trying a bump and dump if he doesn't see or wind you. I thought about it, my gut told me to do it, but my mind overruled it. Guess what? He came back. ;)


From reading this is what I'm thinking. Haven't bumped or seen one yet beast style so I just need a boost in confidence I'm approaching this right.
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby seuss79 » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:13 pm

treeroot wrote:The 60 acre golden rod/ brush field I hunt is semi similar. I'm no expert but here's what I've learned to do. 20191012_160531.jpg this is one small part of it. Sorry for the bad pictures they are through my binoculars.

Sometimes the bucks bed out by clumps, trees, brush, or slight mounds. But most of the time I've seen them within 60 yards of the treeline edge bedded with the wind blowing from the tree edge into the golden rod. Makes it very hard to sneak along the edge.
I get as high as possible with the wind in my favor and watch an evening or two to figure out their exit trails or a food source out in it they're hitting in daylight. Make a plan from there. They are very hard to see which is why I try to get as elevated as possible. I've gotten better at seeing horizontal lines moving through 6' tall golden rod.
20191012_165010.jpg


This is a better description of my type of fields. Goldenrod, stick seed tall grasses mixed brush clumps etc....

Maybe I'm just not catching them move. More experience/time needed to catch the minor details.

Food sources are what I need to figure out. No white oaks that I found dropping this year. Not sure of browse in CRP fields or woods besides acorns.

I guess until I figure that part out, I won't know if they go to the woods or to the fields.
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby seuss79 » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:16 pm

Thanks for all the replies so far. It really helps boost my confidence hearing your comments. I hope to see something this weekend. Off work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Plan on some serious time in the woods.

Keep the comments and experiences coming.
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Re: Wooded/CRP access and observation advice wanted

Unread postby greenhorndave » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:49 pm

seuss79 wrote:Thanks for all the replies so far. It really helps boost my confidence hearing your comments. I hope to see something this weekend. Off work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Plan on some serious time in the woods.

Keep the comments and experiences coming.

Yeah, sounds like we're ascending similar learning curves and I'll be out same as you. Good questionsbby the way.

Good luck!
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